Fluid pressure engine compounding and speed control apparatus



Jan. 19, 1954 R R. STEVENS 2,666,295

FLUID PRESSUhE ENGINE COMPOUNDING AND SPEED CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 22, 1948 Ful l Speed Full s eed l IN V EN TOR.

R. Stevens BY AT TORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE COMPOUNDING AND SPEED CONTROL APPARATUS Roy R. Stevens, Forest Hills, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Air Brake Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application September 22, 1948, Serial No. 50,596, now Patent No. 2,642,969, dated June 23, 1953. Divided and this application December 20, 1949, Serial No. 133,969

1 Claim.

1 This invention relates to fluid pressure control apparatus and more particularly to fluid pressure apparatus for controlling operation of a multiple engine power package, such as may be employed in rotary well drilling rig equipment,

position to a certain minimum pressure in said chamber.

For effecting variation in pressure of fluid in the respective pressur chambers I2 in the cylinder devices I, and thereby effecting adjustfor example, the present application being a dimerit of the speed of engines I, 2, self-lapping vision of my copending patent application, Serial control valve devices I5, I6, I1 are provided. No. 50,596, filed September 22, 1948, now Patent The self-lapping control valve devices I5, I6, No. 2,642,969, and assigned to the assignee of this I! may be substantially similar to a control valve application. 1U device disclosed and described in detail in Patent It is a principal object of the invention to No. 2,398,877, issued to A. J. Bent, April 23, 1948, provide fluid pressure control apparatus for seand assigned to the assignee of the present aplectively eflecting driving connection between plication. Self-lapping control valve devices I5, one or all of said engines while automatically I? are operable to effect variations in pressure of assuring synchronism of operation of the engines fluid in respective pipes I8, I9 in accord with when all are compounded.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic view, partly in outline and partly in section, of a power package or unit embodying the invention.

Description Referring to the drawing, the reference numorals I and 2 designate two alike internal combustion engines (two engines being employed merely to illustrate the invention) each comprising speed control means (not shown) adjustable in accord with position of a respective governor control lever 3. Lever 3 is operatively connected to a governor shaft 5 and is adapted for pivotal movement thereabout to and between opposite extreme limit positions, Idle and Full speed, indicated by dot and dash lines so titled in the drawing, for adjusting the governor device through turning movement of shaft 5 to eflect adjustment of the speedof the respective engine accordingly.

' For adjusting position of lever '3, a, fluid pressure cylinder device I is provided which comprises a piston 8 which is operatively connected by means of a piston rod 9 to said lever. A control spring I0 is disposed in a spring chamber I I at one side of piston 8, arrangedto urge said piston in thedirection of a pressure chamber I2 at its opposite side toward a rest position in which it is shown in the drawing with lever 3 in Idle position. Piston 8 will effect positioning of lever 3 in accord with the degree of pressure of fluid supplied to the chamber I2 acting thereon to oppose action of spring III. Full speed position of lever 3 will correspond to a certain maximum pressure of fluid in chamber I2 and Idle position of an operator's handle 2t, while selflapping control valve device I6 is operable to effect variation in pressure of fluid in a pipe 2| in accord with position of a foot pedal 22. The handles 20 are movable to and between opposite limit positions corresponding to Idle and Full speed positions of the governor levers 3 in the engines I, 2. Likewise, foot pedal 22 may 'be so positioned also to and between such limit positions, indicated by dot and dash lines so titled. Idle position of handles 20 and of foot pedal 22 corresponds to a certain minimum pressure of fluid in respective pipes I8, I9, 2I, while Full speed position of said handles and foot pedal correspond to a certain maximum pressure of fluid in these pipes. Handles 29 will remain in any position to which they are moved, while foot pedal 22 is constantly urged toward its Idle position by action of a'spring 23. A fluid pressure supply pipe 24, adapted to be connected to a source of fluid under pressure, such as a compressor (not shown), is connected to each of the self-lapping control valve devices I5, I5, I! for conveying fluid under pressure thereto.

Pipes I8, M are connected in common to a pipe 25 by way of a double check valve 26 in such a manner that pressure of fluid in said pipe 25 may be varied either by operation of valve devices I5 or IE independently, or a pressure at some value may be established and held therein by fixing a position of handle 20 in device I5 and eifecting variation in pressure above that value by adjusting position of foot pedal 22 in device I6, thus affording flexibility of operation.

Pipe 25 is constantly connected to the pressure chamber I2 in the cylinder device I on the engine 2, and according to a feature of the inven-' I, by way of a pipe 26 and a relay valve device groove 9| being provided said element for receiv ing said yoke. The opposite end of lever 89 may be connected through a link 92 to one end of a rod 93 of the clutch actuator 88. Actuator 88 comprises a casing containing a piston 94 which is connected to the rod 93. At one side of piston 94 there is a chamber 95 connected to the pipe 56, while at its opposite side there is a spring chamber 96 which is constantly open to the atmosphere. A release spring 91 is disposed in chamber 96 arranged to urge piston 94 in the direction of chamber 95 toward its rest position seated on an annular shoulder formed in the casing, in which position it is shown in the drawing. In rest position of piston 94, clutch 82 is in its release position with element 81 disengaged from element 86. When fluid under pressure is supplied to chamber 95, piston 94 is caused to move in the direction of chamber 96 against ac-- tion of spring 91, and through stem 93, link 92, and lever 89 it causes engagement of element 81 with element 86 in friction clutch 82 for coupling shaft 8| to shaft 18 through sprocket wheels 83, 85 and chain 84. When fluid under pressure is subsequently vented from chamber 95 in actuator 88, spring 91 returns piston 94 to rest position and causes clutch 82 to disengage.

According to a feature of the invention, engagement of the clutch 82 is effected to connect the shaft 16 of engine I to the shaft 18 of engine 2, through supply of fluid under pressure to pipe 56, at the same time that the speed of both engines l, 2 is brought under the control of control valve devices l5 and I6 and is thereby synchronized. Conversely, disengagement of clutch 82 is effected automatically, through release of fluid under pressure in pipe 56, at the same time that speed of the engines I, 2 are rendered controllable individually through operation of valve devices I5, l6 and the valve device [1, respectively.

By means of such an arrangement, an operator of the equipment may compound or render independent both control of and output of the engines I, 2 merely by positioning handle 68 in valve device 55.

' Summary It will now be seen that I have provided a fluid pressure control apparatus for controlling the operation of an engine power package comprising a 6 plurality of power units such as a pair of internal combustion engines and a multiple speed transmission.

The control apparatus comprises means for effecting regulation of speed of the two engines independently when so employed and means for effecting compounding of their outputs aswell as simultaneously effecting synchronous control of their throttle or governor position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

Fluid pressure apparatus for controlling operation and compounding of two engines comprising respective speed control means and respective power output shafts, the combination, of a first fluid pressure actuator responsive to variations in pressure of fluid in a first pressure chamber to adjust one of said speed control means, a second fluid pressure actuator responsive to variations in pressure of fluid in a second pressure chamber to adjust the other of said speed control means, fluid pressure operated clutch means responsive to supply and release of fluid under pressure to and from a third pressure chamber to establish and disestablish, respectively, connection of said output shafts, a fluid pressure conduit, relay valve means responsive to supply and release of fluid under pressure to and from said third pressure chamber to connect said second pressure chamber selectively to said first pressure chamber and to said conduit, respectively, clutch control valve means to supply and release fluid under pressure to and from said third pressure chamber, and a pair of operators speed control valve devices to vary pressure of fluid in said first pressure chamber and in said conduit, respectively.

ROY R. STEVENS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,121,114 Moore Dec. 15, 1914 2,288,173 Wohanka June 30, 1942 2,326,911 Aikman Aug. 17, 1943 2,422,596 Stevens June 1'7, 194'? 2,428,457 Hines Oct. 7, 1947 2,444,364 Panish June 29, 1948 

